Firearm sling

ABSTRACT

A firearm sling comprising a forward portion configured to be secured to a forestock of a firearm, a rearward portion configured to be secured to a butt of the firearm, and a stabilizing loop disposed between the forward and rearward portions. The stabilizing loop includes a pressure absorbing material and a high friction material configured to abut against at least one of a user&#39;s non-trigger forearm or upper arm.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional PatentApplication Ser. No. 61/926,558 filed Jan. 13, 2014, the entiredisclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD

The present disclosure relates generally to firearms, and, moreparticularly, to a sling for use in transporting a firearm and forstabilizing a firearm during firing.

BACKGROUND

Rifle slings have been used by individuals to facilitate transportingfirearms and for stabilizing the firearm (e.g., a rifle, shot gun, orthe like) against a user's elbow during firing. FIGS. 1A and 1Bgenerally illustrate examples of such rifle slings 1. These rifle slings1 may include a strap having a first end 2 connected proximate theforestock 3 of the rifle R and include a loop 3 disposed therebetweenthrough which the user inserts his/her arm. The commonly held belief isthat the loop 3 must be extremely tight around the user's bicep in orderto properly stabilize the rifle R.

As set forth in the article entitled “The Proper Use of the RifleSling”, obtained from internet website referred to as Shooter'sCarnival, if a rifle sling feels comfortable and does not impedecirculation, then tighten it up by hooking the upper hook in the set ofholes in the feed strap closer to the front sling swivel. The articlegoes on to set forth that a proper sling position will be uncomfortableto painful depending upon your tolerance, and, if it doesn't hurt, it isnot tight enough. The article teaches that the long strap of the slingbraces your forearm and elbow together to form a solid rest for yourrifle, and that it is the tightness of the sling that creates the pain,but also makes for a steady platform to shoot from. The article statesthat some people get used to the pain, while others simply deal with it,or ignore it, and that, whatever the case, seeing your groups shrink toa tight little cluster will help motivate you to deal with thediscomfort that a properly used sling will create.

Accordingly, while generally effective to stabilize the rifle duringfiring if properly tightened, rifle slings according to these designsare uncomfortable or painful to use.

FIGURES

Features and advantages of the claimed subject matter will be apparentfrom the following detailed description of embodiments consistenttherewith, which description should be considered with reference to theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGS. 1A and 1B generally illustrate prior art rifle slings;

FIG. 2 generally illustrates a firearm sling consistent with the presentdisclosure;

FIG. 3 generally illustrates a firearm sling disposed over a user'sshoulder consistent with the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 generally illustrates a firearm sling disposed about a user'snon-trigger arm during firing consistent with the present disclosure;and

FIG. 4A is a close-up view of FIG. 4 in the area of the first loop strapof the firearm sling;

FIGS. 5-8 generally illustrate a the procedure for transitioning afirearm rifle sling consistent with the present disclosure from thetransportation position (as generally illustrated in FIG. 3) to thefiring position (as generally illustrated in FIG. 4).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

By way of a general overview, the present disclosure includes a firearmsling that may be used to transport the firearm over the user's shoulderand to stabilize the firearm while firing. The firearm sling includes aforward portion, a rearward portion, and a stabilizing loop disposedtherebetween through which the user inserts his/her non-trigger armwhile firing. The stabilizing loop may include a pressure absorbingmaterial that increases the user's comfort while firing of the rifle bydistributing the force of the firearm sling over a wider portion of theuser's non-trigger arm and reducing areas of high pressureconcentration. The firearm sling may also include a high frictionmaterial that reduces and/or eliminates the possibility of thestabilizing loop from sliding up the user's non-trigger arm toward theuser's armpit while firing. Additionally, the high friction materialincreases the friction between the stabilizing loop and the user'snon-trigger forearm while firing the rifle. Because of the increasedfriction, the firearm sling according to the present disclosure does nothave to be tightened around the user's non-trigger arm nearly as much asin other designs of rifle slings, thereby greatly enhancing the user'scomfort. Additionally, the high friction material may reduce and/orminimize undesired movement of the rifle on the user's shoulder whiletransporting the rifle, thereby further enhancing the user's comfort.

Turning now to FIG. 2, one embodiment of a firearm sling 10 is generallyillustrated. For ease of explanation, the firearm sling 10 will begenerally described in combination with a rifle and may be referred toas a rifle sling 10. It should be appreciated, however, that this isjust for ease of explanation and that the firearm sling 10 may be usedwith any compatible firearm including, but not limited to, rifles,shotguns, and the like.

The rifle sling 10 generally includes a forward portion 12, a rearwardportion 14, and a stabilizing loop 16. The forward and rearward portions12, 14 are configured to be coupled to the rifle, for example, proximatethe forestock and butt, respectively. The forward and rearward portions12, 14 may include any type of fastener or coupler 18, 20 such as, butnot limited to, a tightenable loop, Chicago screw, or the like. Asexplained herein, the rifle sling 10 may be disposed over a user'sshoulder to carry/transport the rifle with minimum effort, for example,as generally illustrated in FIG. 3. Additionally, a user may inserthis/her arm through the stabilizing loop 16 to stabilize the rifleagainst the user's bicep and/or forearm during firing of the rifle, forexample, as generally illustrated in FIG. 4.

With reference to FIG. 2, one embodiment of the rifle sling 10consistent with the present disclosure will be generally described. Thelengths of the forward portion, 12, the rearward portions 14, and/or thestabilizing loop 16 may be adjustable. As explained herein, the lengthof the stabilizing loop 16 may be adjusted to easily fit over the user'sarm without the need to tighten the loop excessively as previouslybelieved to be necessary in order to achieve proper setup. The forwardportion 12 and/or the stabilizing loop 14 may be adjusted such that thestabilizing loop 16 is properly positioned during firing of the rifle asexplained herein (e.g., to account for different user's statures, armlengths, etc.). The rearward portion 14 may also be adjusted to allowthe sling 10 to easily and controllably slung over the user's shoulder,for example, while transporting the rifle. One or more of the forwardportion 12, the rearward portion 14, and/or the stabilizing loop 16 maybe independently adjustable (i.e., adjustment of any one does not alterthe length of any of the others). Of course, it should also beappreciated that one or more of the forward portion 12, the rearwardportion 14, and/or the stabilizing loop 16 may have a fixed length.

As noted above, the stabilizing loop 16 (along with the forward portion12) is used during firing of the rifle to stabilize the rifle againstthe user's bicep and/or forearm. The stabilizing loop 16 has anadjustable length/diameter. The length of the stabilizing loop 16 may beadjustable using any configuration known to those skilled in the art.

At least a portion of the inner and/or outer portions or surfaces 22, 24of the stabilizing loop 16 may optionally include a pressure adsorbingmaterial 26. As used herein, the inner surface 22 of the stabilizingloop 16 refers to the portion of the stabilizing loop 16 that contactsthe user's bicep while firing the rifle, only a portion of which may beseen in FIG. 2. Additionally, as used herein the outer surface 24 of thestabilizing loop 16 refers to the portion of the stabilizing loop 16that contacts the user's body (e.g., shoulder) while transporting therifle. For example, the inner surface 22 may include a pressureabsorbing material 26 configured to increase the user's comfort whileusing the rifle sling 10 during firing of the rifle. The pressureabsorbing material 26 may distribute the force of the rifle sling 10while firing over a wider portion of the user's arm. Additionally, thepressure absorbing material 26 may act as a cushion to further increasethe user's comfort while firing the rifle. For example, the pressureabsorbing material 26 may conform to the contour of the user's arm,thereby reducing areas of high pressure concentration. According to oneembodiment, the pressure absorbing material 26 may include padding,foam, memory or “viscoelastic” material (e.g., polyurethane foam), orthe like. Similarly, the outer surface 24 of the stabilizing loop 16 mayinclude a pressure absorbing material 26 configured to increase theuser's comfort while using the rifle sling 10 to carry the rifle. Assuch, the comfort of a rifle sling 10 consistent with at least oneembodiment of the present disclosure may be greatly enhanced whilefiring the rifle as well as while transporting the rifle compared toother rifle sling designs.

Optionally, at least a portion of the inner and/or outer portions orsurfaces 22, 24 of the stabilizing loop 16 may include a high frictionmaterial 28. The high friction material 28 may include any materialhaving an overall coefficient of friction greater than that of canvasand/or leather. For example, the high friction material 28 may include,but it not limited to, high friction polymers such as rubber (e.g.,rubber webbing), ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) and other elastomericpolymer compositions, microfiber arrays, or the like. The high frictionmaterial 28 may be disposed in a plurality of discrete regions along theinner and/or outer surfaces 22, 24. Alternatively, the high frictionmaterial 28 may be continuously disposed along a portion of the innerand/or outer surfaces 22, 24. When disposed continuously along the inneror outer surfaces 22, 24, the high friction material 28 is preferablyflexible enough to bend during use of the rifle sling 10.

The inner surface 22 of the stabilizing loop 16 may include a highfriction material 28 that aids in the stabilization of the rifle duringfiring. For example, the high friction material 28 may reduce and/oreliminate the possibility of the stabilizing loop 16 from sliding up theuser's arm toward the user's armpit while firing. In such regards, thehigh-friction material may be provided in the form of a non-slip member.As used herein, “non-slip” may be understood by one of ordinary skill inthe art to mean a material or member which inhibits slipping, which mayinclude reducing slipping or preventing slipping.

Moreover, the outer surface 24 of the stabilizing loop 16 may include ahigh friction material 28 that increases the friction between thestabilizing loop 16 and the user's forearm while firing the rifle.Because of the increased friction, the rifle sling 10 according to thepresent disclosure does not have to be tightened around the user's armnearly as much as in other designs of rifle slings. As such, the comfortof a rifle sling 10 consistent with at least one embodiment of thepresent disclosure may be greatly enhanced while firing the riflecompared to other rifle sling designs. Additionally, the high frictionmaterial 28 on the outer surface 24 of the stabilizing loop 16 mayreduce and/or minimize undesired movement of the rifle on the user'sshoulder while transporting the rifle, thereby enhancing the user'scomfort.

It may be appreciated that the forward portion 12 may be eliminated andthe stabilizing loop 16 may be secured to the forestock of the rifle byway of the fastener 18.

Another embodiment consistent with the present disclosure will bedescribed. The rifle sling 10 includes a forward portion 12 having afixed length. The lengths of the rearward portion 14 and the stabilizingloop 16 of the rifle sling 10 are adjustable as described herein. Theforward portion 12 may include strap 30 (e.g., of canvas, leather, orthe like) having a first and a second end 32, 34. The first end 32 isconfigured to be mounted, secured, or otherwise coupled to the rifle,for example, using fastener 18. The second end 34 of the forward portion12 is configured to be coupled to a portion of the stabilizing loop 16.For example, the second end 34 may include a strap slider 36 configuredto allow the stabilizing loop 16 to be slidably coupled to the secondend 34.

The rearward portion 14 has an adjustable length. For example, therearward portion 14 includes strap 38 having a first and a second endregion 40, 42. The first end region 40 is configured to be mounted,secured, or otherwise coupled to and/or extends from the stabilizingloop 16. The second end region 42 is configured to be mounted, secured,or otherwise coupled to the rifle, for example, using fastener 20. Thesecond region 42 includes a rearward adjustment loop 44. The length ofthe rearward adjustment loop 44 (and therefore the overall length of therearward portion 14) may be adjusted using a buckle or the like 46. Therearward adjustment loop 44 may be slidably coupled to the fastener 20,for example, using a strap slider 48. It should be appreciated that thatthe first and second end regions 40, 42 may be switched (i.e., firstregion 40 may be coupled to the strap slider 48 and the rearwardadjustment loop 44 of the second region 42 may be coupled to the buckle60). Additionally, it may be appreciated that the length of the rearwardportion 14 may be adjustable using other configurations known to thoseskilled in the art.

The stabilizing loop 16 has an adjustable length. For example, thestabilizing loop 16 includes a first and a second loop strap 50, 52(e.g., of canvas, leather, or the like) forming a continuous loop 54.The first loop strap 50 includes a first and a second end portion 56,58. The first portion 56 is configured to be mounted, secured, orotherwise coupled to and/or extends from the forward portion 12 and thesecond portion 58 is secured to buckle 60 and/or the second strap 52.

The second loop strap 52 includes an adjustment region 62 and a free endregion 64. The adjustment region 62 extends from a first end 63 mounted,secured, or otherwise coupled to and/or extending from the forwardportion 12 and ends at the buckle 60. The free end region 64 extendsfrom the buckle 60 and terminates at a free end 65. Optionally, one ormore retaining loops 68 may be provided along a portion of the free endregion 64 to maintain the free end region 64 in close proximity to theadjustment region 62. The length of the second strap 52 (and thereforethe overall length of the stabilizing loop 16) may be adjusted using thebuckle 60 to change the relative lengths of the adjustment region 62 andthe free end region 64. For example, to enlarge the stabilizing loop 16,the free end region 64 is advanced through the buckle 60, therebyextending the length of the adjustment region 62 and reducing the lengthof the free end region 64. To reduce the size of the stabilizing loop16, the adjustment region 62 is advanced through the buckle 60, therebyextending the length of the free end region 64 and reducing the lengthof the adjustment region 62.

As noted above, the stabilizing loop 16 also may optionally include oneor more of a pressure absorbing material 26 and/or high frictionmaterial 28. In the illustrated embodiment, substantially the entirelength of the first strap 50 includes pressure absorbing material 26 andat least a portion of the free end region 64 includes a pressureabsorbing material 26. Additionally, substantially the entire length ofthe inner and outer surfaces 22, 24 of the first strap 50 includes ahigh friction material 28. The high friction material 28 includes aplurality of rubber webbings that may be woven into or otherwise coupledto the first strap 50.

As best shown by FIG. 4A, which is a close-up of FIG. 4 in the area ofthe first loop strap 50, in certain embodiments, the first loop strap 50(as well as the second loop strap 52) may be formed from a flexibletubular sleeve 50 a. The flexible tubular sleeve 50 a, which may also bereferred to as a flexible tubular web in the art, is provided without aterminating edge or a seam extending in the longitudinal direction ofthe tubular sleeve 50 a which adds to the comfort of the rifle sling 10.

In such instance where the first loop strap 50 comprises a flexibletubular sleeve 50 a, the pressure absorbing material 26 may comprise acompressible (resilient) elongated planar foam padding member 26 alocated within the tubular sleeve 50 a. The foam padding member 26 a maybe an extruded closed-cell polyolefin foam having a density in a rangeof 1 to 5 lbs/ft³. The foam padding member 26 a may have a width(transverse to the longitudinal length) in a range of 0.75 inch to 3inches (and more particularly have a width of 0.1 inch to 1.25 inches),and a thickness in a range of 0.075 inch to 0.2 inch (and moreparticularly have a thickness in a range of 0.10 inch to 0.150 inch),particularly to distribute carrying loads to a suitable level withoutsignificantly increasing bulkiness and weight.

The high friction material 28 may be in the form of a non-slip member 28a which overlies at least a portion of the tubular sleeve 50 a, whichmay comprise at least one elongated gripping strip 28 b. The at leastone elongated gripping strip 28 b may comprise at least one row ofstitches 28 c sewn to a textile backing 29 in an overlying relationshipthereto. The textile backing 29 may be then sewn in overlyingrelationship to the tubular sleeve 50 a.

The at least one row of stitches 28 b may be formed by a thread. Thethread may have a diameter in a range of 0.1 mm to 1.5 mm, and may beformed of an elastomeric polymer composition. As shown, the at least onerow of stitches 28 b may comprises a plurality of rows of stitches 28 b,and the plurality of rows of stitches 28 b may be adjacent one anotherand stagger relative to one another.

As used herein, an elastomeric polymer composition may include anycomposition with a glass transition temperature Tg below roomtemperature and which is at most, 50% crystalline (i.e., the materialcontains an amorphous phase of 50% or greater, up to 100% amorphousphase). The elastomeric polymer composition may also be characterized asa material that has an elongation at 23° C. of at least 100%, and which,after being stretched to twice its original length and being held atsuch for one minute, may recover in a range of 50% to 100% within oneminute after release from the stress. More particularly, the elastomericpolymer composition may recover in a range of 75% to 100% within oneminute after release from the stress, and even more particularly recoverin a range of 90% to 100% within one minute after release from thestress.

Exemplary elastomeric polymer compositions may particularly includeelastomers, particularly styrene block polymers, such as styrene blockcopolymers (e.g. styrene-butadiene copolymer) and styrene blockterpolymers (e.g. styrene-butadiene-styrene terpolymer,styrene-ethylene/butylene-styrene terpolymer,styrene-ethylene/propylene-styrene terpolymer); polyolefin blends (e.g.polypropylene and ethylene-propylene-diene monomer rubber, polypropyleneand nitrile rubber, ethylene-propylene rubber); elastomeric alloys suchas melt-processable rubbers and thermoplastic vulcanizates; polyolefins;polyurethanes; polyesters; and rubbers such as natural rubber, neoprenerubber, acrylic rubber, butadiene rubber, butyl rubber,ethylene-propylene rubber, ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber,fluorocarbon rubber, isoprene rubber, nitrile rubber, polyurethanerubber and silicone rubber.

Turning now to FIGS. 5-8, steps illustrating the procedure fortransitioning the rifle sling 10 from the transportation position (asgenerally illustrated in FIG. 3) to the firing position (as generallyillustrated in FIG. 4) are shown. The user starts by removing the riflesling 10 from the user's shoulder to the position as generallyillustrated in FIG. 5. The user then advances his/her non-trigger armthrough the stabilizing loop 16 as generally illustrated in FIG. 6. Withthe user's arm within the stabilizing loop 16, the user places the buttof the rifle R against his/her shoulder, grasps the forestock of therifle R and bends the non-trigger arm until the forward portion 12 andthe stabilizing loop 16 are under tension as generally illustrated inFIGS. 7 and 8. The tension aids in stabilizing the rifle R duringfiring. The pressure absorbing material 26 increases the user's comfortwhile firing of the rifle R by distributing the force of the rifle sling10 over a wider portion of the user's non-trigger arm and reducing areasof high pressure concentration. The high friction material 28 reducesand/or eliminates the possibility of the stabilizing loop 16 fromsliding up the user's non-trigger arm toward the user's armpit whilefiring. Additionally, the high friction material 28 increases thefriction between the stabilizing loop 16 and the user's non-triggerforearm while firing the rifle R. Because of the increased friction, therifle sling 10 according to the present disclosure does not have to betightened around the user's non-trigger arm nearly as much as in otherdesigns of rifle slings, thereby greatly enhancing the user's comfort.Additionally, the high friction material 28 on the outer surface 24 ofthe stabilizing loop 16 may reduce and/or minimize undesired movement ofthe rifle R on the user's shoulder while transporting the rifle R,thereby further enhancing the user's comfort.

While embodiments of the present disclosure have been described andillustrated herein, those of ordinary skill in the art will readilyenvision a variety of other means and/or structures for performing thefunctions and/or obtaining the results and/or one or more of theadvantages described herein, and each of such variations and/ormodifications is deemed to be within the scope of the presentdisclosure. More generally, those skilled in the art will readilyappreciate that all parameters, dimensions, materials, andconfigurations described herein are meant to be exemplary and that theactual parameters, dimensions, materials, and/or configurations willdepend upon the specific application or applications for which theteachings of the present disclosure is/are used. Those skilled in theart will recognize, or be able to ascertain using no more than routineexperimentation, many equivalents to the specific embodiments of thedisclosure described herein. It is, therefore, to be understood that theforegoing embodiments are presented by way of example only and that,within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereto, thedisclosure may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described andclaimed.

The present disclosure is directed to each individual feature, system,article, material, kit, and/or method described herein. In addition, anycombination of two or more such features, systems, articles, materials,kits, and/or methods, if such features, systems, articles, materials,kits, and/or methods are not mutually inconsistent, is included withinthe scope of the present disclosure.

All definitions, as defined and used herein, should be understood tocontrol over dictionary definitions, definitions in documentsincorporated by reference, and/or ordinary meanings of the definedterms.

The indefinite articles “a” and “an,” as used herein in thespecification and in the claims, unless clearly indicated to thecontrary, should be understood to mean “at least one.”

The phrase “and/or,” as used herein in the specification and in theclaims, should be understood to mean “either or both” of the elements soconjoined, i.e., elements that are conjunctively present in some casesand disjunctively present in other cases. Other elements may optionallybe present other than the elements specifically identified by the“and/or” clause, whether related or unrelated to those elementsspecifically identified, unless clearly indicated to the contrary.

What is claimed is:
 1. A firearm sling comprising: a forward portionsecurable to a forestock of a firearm; a rearward portion securable to abutt of said firearm; and a stabilizing loop disposed between saidforward and rearward portions, said stabilizing loop including apressure absorbing material.
 2. The firearm sling of claim 1, wherein:said stabilizing loop comprises at least one strap; and said at leastone strap comprises a tubular sleeve disposed over said pressureabsorbing material.
 3. The firearm sling of claim 1, wherein: saidpressure absorbing material comprises padding.
 4. The firearm sling ofclaim 3, wherein: said padding comprises a foam padding.
 5. The firearmsling of claim 1, wherein: said stabilizing loop further includes a highfriction material.
 6. The firearm sling of claim 5, wherein: said highfriction material is disposed about a portion of an inner surface ofsaid stabilizing loop and is arranged on said stabilizing loop to abutagainst a user's non-trigger upper arm.
 7. The firearm sling of claim 5,wherein: said high friction material is disposed about a portion of anouter surface of said stabilizing loop and is arranged on saidstabilizing loop to abut against a user's non-trigger forearm.
 8. Thefirearm sling of claim 5, wherein: said high friction material is formedof an elastomeric polymer composition.
 9. The firearm sling of claim 8,wherein: said elastomeric polymer composition is formed of rubber. 10.The firearm sling of claim 2, further comprising: a non-slip memberdisposed over said tubular sleeve.
 11. The firearm sling of claim 10,wherein: said non-slip member comprises at least one elongated grippingstrip.
 12. The firearm sling of claim 11, wherein: said at least oneelongated gripping strip comprises a plurality of elongated grippingstrips.
 13. The firearm sling of claim 11, wherein: said at least oneelongated gripping strip comprises at least one row of stitches.
 14. Thefirearm sling of claim 13, wherein: said at least one row of stitchescomprises a plurality of rows of stitches.
 15. The firearm sling ofclaim 14, wherein: said stitches are formed of an elastomeric thread.16. The firearm sling of claim 15, wherein: said elastomeric thread hasa diameter of 0.1 mm to 1.5 mm.
 17. The firearm sling of claim 13,wherein: said at least one row of stitches are sewn to a textilebacking.
 18. The firearm sling of claim 17, wherein: said textilebacking is sewn to said tubular sleeve.
 19. The firearm sling of claim2, wherein: said at least one strap comprises at least a first strap anda second strap; said pressure absorbing material comprises a first strappressure absorbing material and a second strap pressure absorbingmaterial; said first strap comprises a first strap tubular sleevedisposed over said first strap pressure absorbing material; and saidsecond strap comprises a second strap tubular sleeve disposed over saidsecond strap pressure absorbing material.
 20. The firearm sling of claim1, wherein: said firearm sling is a rifle sling.